This creamy salmon and shrimp pasta is a restaurant-quality dinner ready in under 30 minutes.
Comforting yet light and fresh, this pasta dinner uses easy-to-find ingredients to make a dinner that is perfect for the whole family, for a date night, or if you are entertaining.
The sauce is rich, creamy, and packed with herbs and lemon to give you a delicious, decadent creamy pasta dinner. Serve it with a salad and a side of garlic bread, and you have a delicious dinner ready in under 30 minutes!
Recipe Tips
We've tested this recipe at least 3 times to ensure it works well for you, have a look at our tips for getting the best dish you can!
- Buy peeled shrimp to make this easier to eat.
- If you are using frozen seafood, ensure it is fully defrosted and dry before frying it.
- With fresh seafood, pat it dry before you start cooking.
- Put the water for the pasta on to boil first. Getting the pasta water to boiling is the longest stage. (to speed up this step, use an electric kettle if you have one)
- As with all pasta recipes, salt the cooking water well. You need 1 tablespoon of salt for a quart of water, which is enough for a pound of pasta!
- Before you drain your pasta, use a large measuring cup to take out at least 1 ½ cups of the cooking water. It will help you to get the perfect sauce.
Ingredient Notes
These notes are here to help make this recipe a success; they cover some but not all ingredients; for a complete ingredient list, check out the recipe card below.
Salmon: The recipe calls for skin-off salmon. I like to cook it whole and then flake it into the pasta; this makes it easier to cook to your preference.
Shrimp: I like to buy frozen raw shrimp! They defrost quickly, meaning I can always make a quick dinner with them. I generally go for 20-25 or 26-30 count.
Garlic: Feel free to add more garlic to the sauce; always measure garlic with your heart!
Pasta: Usually, I love a long pasta like linguine, but with the chunky bits of fish, we like short pasta. You can pick whichever shape your family loves.
White Wine: Use any dry white wine; if you don't consume alcohol, you can substitute it with vegetable broth.
Cream: The recipe calls for heavy cream; half and half isn't a great substitute as it doesn't thicken in the same way
Fresh Herbs: The recipe calls for fresh dill and fresh parsley. They give the sauce plenty of flavor. If you only have dried herbs, reduce the quantities per the recipe notes.
Lemon: The recipe uses lemon zest and a small amount of juice. Ensure you zest the lemon before you juice it, as it is tough to zest a cut lemon.
Recipe Adaptions/Substitutions
These are all just suggestions and things that have worked in our test kitchen, but it is your dinner, so adapt it to suit your family. That is the beauty of cooking; we can all create our own delicious meals.
Veg: Feel free to add some veg to the pasta. Spinach, peas, or mushrooms would all be delicious additions.
Add extra protein: You could add scallops, squid, mussels, or chunks of white fish to the sauce.
Herbs: You can change the fresh herbs for those you have available. Chives, tarragon, thyme, and oregano would all work.
Spice: If you like a touch of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes or some chopped red chili to the sauce.
Why You'll Love this Salmon and Shrimp Pasta
- It's an elegant restaurant-style dish that you can make at home.
- It is ready in under 30 minutes.
- It is easy to make.
- It makes a great date night dinner or dinner party main course.
- It tastes AMAZING!
Serving Suggestions
Side: This creamy salmon and shrimp pasta is the perfect dish for serving with something fresh. We suggest a simple green salad. Also, a side of garlic bread is always a good thing.
Wine: Lemon sauces can soften and mellow wines, leaving your wine tasting bland and watery. But the addition of the cream, seafood, and lots of fresh herbs helps to balance the lemon, meaning you can go for a crisp white Sémillon or a dry Riesling.
This creamy pasta is also perfect for serving with sparkling wine! Prosecco is a great choice, or go for a Californian sparkling.
Or, if you love a glass of red wine, throw out the traditions and pair this seafood pasta with a low-tannin red like a Valpolicella or a light Zinfandel.
If you make this Creamy Salmon and Shrimp Pasta, remember to come back and comment. You can also tag me on social media.
Any questions about the recipe? Use the comments section below.
Enjoy x
Get the Recipe
Salmon and Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
For the pasta
- 12 oz pasta
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 10 oz salmon fillets - skin-off
- 10 oz shrimp - peeled and deveined
- salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
For the sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- ¼ cup dry white wine (see note 1)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ cup broth chicken/fish/vegetable
- 2 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
Start by cooking the pasta.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the salt.1 tablespoon salt
- Add the pasta and cook for 1 minute less than the packet suggests.12 oz pasta
- Once the pasta has cooked, reserve 2 cups of the cooking water and drain.
While the pasta water is coming to a boil, start the seafood and sauce.
For the fish
- Season the salmon and the prawns with salt and pepper.10 oz salmon fillets10 oz shrimpsalt and pepper
- Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick pan or skillet over medium-high heat.2 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the salmon and sauté for 3 minutes over high heat until a crust has formed.
- Flip the salmon and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook for 2 minutes, turning the shrimp once.
- Remove the fish to a warmed plate, tent it with foil, and set aside.
To make the sauce
- Add the butter to the skillet the fish was cooked in.1 tablespoon butter
- Add the garlic and cook for 20 seconds.3 cloves garlic finely chopped
- Add the wine and stir. Simmer for 2 minutes until the wine has mostly reduced.¼ cup dry white wine
- Add the cream, broth, lemon zest, and lemon juice.1 cup heavy cream½ cup broth2 teaspoon lemon zest1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Simmer for 1 ½ minutes until it thickens slightly.
- Add the cooked fish, herbs, and pasta to the sauce.1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- Pour in ½ cup of the reserved cooking water and toss the pasta over medium-low heat for 1-2 minutes. Add more pasta water if the sauce starts to thicken too much.
- Serve immediately, garnished with parsley and black pepper if desired.
Notes
- Use any dry white wine; if you don't consume alcohol, you can substitute it with extra broth.
Nutrition
Nutrition is per serving
Alison Cowell says
This was so good! I just happened to have everything on hand except fresh dill. I think that would have really elevated the flavor. I did cut back on the lemon zest to about 1 tsp. I also used about 1/2 cup of the pasta water and a tad bit more broth. Next time around, fresh dill for sure!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
I am so happy you enjoyed it Alison 🙂
Fresh dill is lovely, but like you if I don't have I don't let it stop me making it as salmon and shrimp are two of my favorite seafoods!
So glad you could adapt the recipe to suit your tastes.
Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Cx
FRED K HARVEY JR says
This looks really great! I am a Garlic/Salt/Pepper fanatic. To me always a great addition. A little lemon juice or zest might be good. The one kind of thing that seems to really be missing for me is vegetables... You can add Spinach (canned or fresh), asparagus and mushrooms! I even added some diced Kamala olives. Thanks to you for sharing your love and cooking!!!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Thank you.
I do sometimes add some fresh baby spinach at the end, but most of the time we'll have a couple of salads with our pasta. It is easier to monitor what the kids have had then...as they are very good at serving themselves pasta and avoiding the chunks of veg 😂
But definitely add extra veg of your family's tastes 🙂
There is lemon zest and juice in the sauce, but you can add more if you want a more pronounced lemon flavor. (If you love lemon pasta, you might want to check out my latest recipe for creamy lemon pasta 🙂 )
Cx
Kelli says
The combination of salmon and shrimp was perfect, and the creamy sauce tied everything together flawlessly. It was a delicious and well-balanced meal that I will definitely be making again. We served it with Garlic Texas Toast which added an extra dimension to the dish.
But the best part? My boys couldn't get enough of it! They loved the flavors and textures of the pasta and seafood, and were even asking for seconds. It's safe to say that this recipe is now a crowd-pleaser in our home.
Overall, the Creamy Salmon and Shrimp Pasta recipe is a must-try for anyone looking for a quick and delicious meal. It's perfect for a weeknight dinner or a weekend feast. I highly recommend giving it a try!
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Oh wow!!
That is an amazing comment to get.
I am so happy you and your boys loved the recipe :_
Cx
Elizabeth S says
This was so rich and delicious! I always order salmon pasta at my favorite restaurant so I had to try this... and it was way better (but maybe I am biased because I made it). LOL! I did doubled the garlic because I love it. Will make again.
Claire | Sprinkles and Sprouts says
Thank you so much Elizabeth.
I always say measure garlic with your heart 😉
So happy you loved the pasta
Cx
Rose says
I love 30 mins meals and my boys love shrimp, this was the perfect weeknight meal for my family.
Erin says
After making one of your other seafood pasta dishes, I had to try this! It did not disappoint. I also used frozen shrimp, which made this recipe super easy. It tastes just like a favorite dish at a nearby restaurant! My husband was thrilled, and my 5-year-old, too. 🙂 Thank you! This is going to be a regularly dish around recipe from now on.
Devy says
What a tasty meal to have for dinner. We love salmon and shrimp and having them in pasta is just what we want. Thank you for the recipe.
Michelle says
I love making this salmon and shrimp pasta for special occasions or when I want to treat myself to a luxurious tasting meal. The creamy sauce perfectly complements the seafood and pasta, and it leaves me feeling satisfied and content.